It became clear during the above meeting that the East Sussex Police cannot be blamed for the current parking anarchy in Rye. Considerable cuts in public funding from central government mean a difficult prioritisation in law enforcement, and, pace fellow Rye citizens, parking problems are are nowhere near the top of the list.
Nor should they be. The responsibility for defining the legal status of parking lies with the District/Borough Councils (with consultative ‘Highway' and budgetary participation of the County Council).
Our Rother District Council (RDC) has continued to ignore the issue and their constituents. Rother earns £250,000 a year from Rye’s car parks. It has no incentive to interfere and even now seems totally relaxed in its slow and complacent acceptance that the situation in Rye might need change.
They should be reminded that only a few miles away in Kent, Tenterden (through Ashford Borough Council) resolved their parking 20 years ago. Their town is patrolled by traffic wardens who enforce civilised rules that are obeyed. Fees for parking (and fines) pay for the enforcement.
No, RDC Councillors, it is not rocket science. So let’s have no more talk of consultation and delay. You should have resolved this long ago. You’ve been offered a temporary solution by the police. Just get on with it.
